Put Away the Dreads and Pull Out the Dredel

By Mark Hoerrner

Born Matthew Miller, Matisyahu (the Hebrew version of "Matthew") has undergone a cosmopolitan journey in finding himself and hearing the calling of Jewish spiritualism. The result is a newfound career in an odd genre for an Orthodox convert—reggae.

Reggae originated in Jamaica as the sound of the underground, downtrodden and rebellious youth of a country seeking to find its own identity. Matisyahu will tell you that he underwent a similar journey that spanned travels around the U.S., Israel and other points around the world. With a new album in stores and a world tour underway, this young Jewish convert is pairing the passion of his spiritual rebirth with the fervor of reggae and hip-hop sounds.

His first album, "Shake off the dust…ARISE" met with critical acclaim and created a substantial following in 2004. Shortly afterward, a live CD, "Live at Stubb’s," was released and had considerable commercial success. The latest offering, "Youth," shows Matisyahu’s uncanny ability to combine deep lyrics that pay homage not only to his faith but also to the lyrics of peace and unity historic to reggae. For the latest album, Matisyahu paired up with legendary reggae producer Bill Lawson.

"Lyrically, I wanted to expand on ideas that I touched upon on the first album, to get deeper into those things, to get to the essence," Matisyahu said in a recent interview. "Members of the band wrote the music together, different people brought different things to the table, and everyone contributed creatively. Out of this confluence of intuitive musical interaction and new ideas waiting to finally be given voice, the heightened dynamics of ‘Youth’ sprang forth. When we made the ‘Live At Stubb's’ album, we had been touring for over a year and a half, and we really wanted to capture the energy from our live show."

Stepping away from the music, Matisyahu is not just using a radical image to provide a hype to his music. His faith is lived out every day, from wearing traditional orthodox clothing, observing the Sabbath and devoting time while on tour to practicing his faith. While religion seems to be the ad agency by which many performers—a la Madonna’s Kabbalistic life style – are promoting themselves as something deeper, Matisyahu appears to have found that unique niche where a passion for the divine meets a unique medium for expression.

It’s clear from his music that Matisyahu is finding that medium a successful one, but is humble about how he uses the newfound fame. He is striving to die to self concerns and deliver a specific message.

"That's what I'm aiming for," he says. "I don't think I've fully gotten there, but that's the goal."